First official field trip of the summer

Welcome to the insanity of a Colorado "spring"...one weekend there's 2 feet of snow and then a week 1/2 later...sunny and 75 degrees. Oh well, roll with the punches has become the name of the game around here. The schnitz and I decided to celebrate the gorgeous weather we're having today by taking a field trip, just the two of us! We got dressed, jumped in the car and headed to the Littleton Historical Museum.

What a fun place!

Here's a great description of the museum from their website: "The Littleton Museum is a 14-acre site encompassing an 1860s farm and 1890s farm with costumed interpreters, Littleton's original log schoolhouse, a 1903 working blacksmith shop, and an ice house." It's also the only Smithsonian affiliated museum in Colorado. Not only does this mean it's well-maintained, it also means it's FREE...even better!:-)

Rusty and I had SUCH a great time hanging out there this morning. I decided that since this was his day, that I wouldn't be so intent on us seeing everything, but would follow his lead as to what he found interesting. This basically meant that in 2 hours we only saw about 1/3 of what was there, but also meant that it was really relaxing and that we have more than enough left to see to justify a return trip with friends on another beautiful day!:-)

A view of the 1890's farm (we'll have to make it to the 1860's farm next trip:-)

Ok, I don't care if there was a spring hooked up to the seat...I'm really thankful for my nice comfy car!

Turns out that 1890's tools are just as fascinating as the more modern ones....who knew?

All the farm animals that he doesn't normally see and this goose was fascinating enough that we had to sit down on the sidewalk and watch him eat. Too funny! To the schnitz's credit, it WAS a really pretty goose:-)

The turtles were a hit, but he had a hard time understanding what the tree limb was doing in the water...he's pretty sure that God's going to fix it and put it back with the tree. Told him we'd check on that when we come back!

I'm not sure that you would have seen a farmer taking it easy like this in the 1890's, but since then we've instated child labor laws, so.....;-)

The schnitz found the blacksmith fascinating and I have to admit, I found it really interesting too.

Side note...I found myself thinking while watching the blacksmith heat the iron in order to get it to bend into the triangle he was making. When the iron was cool, he didn't even try to bend it, it was far too resistant. However, the hotter he heated the iron, the more pliable it became. It was a reminder that, as unpleasant as it came be to go through difficult times in life, whether it's related to your job, family, friends, etc, the more difficult things are, the more it becomes possible for God to mold us into what He wants us to be. As tough as I find it to actually wish for rough times in life, I do hope that I remember this the next time I go through a valley (let's be honest...there's always another valley) and pay attention to how God may be trying to bend and shape me to be more like Him. And also to realize that, while it's not easy, there is a blessing inherent in it, if I only pay attention and submit to what He is trying to do in my life.

And finally, the kind of conversations you can have with a two year old who is obsessed with fire trucks:-)